East Stroudsburg University’s new science building topped by observatory

Monday

Aug 27, 2007 at 12:34 PM

The spacecraft-like object hovering over East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania on Thursday was actually a new observatory dome that was installed on the 124,000-square-foot Science and Technology Center under construction at the corner of Normal Street and Ransberry Avenue.

The new 30-foot dome replaces the 12-and-a-half-foot observatory, previously located off Mary Street, where students and community members came to view comets, planets, the moon, stars and eclipses during open houses held regularly over the years.

The new dome is 30 foot in diameter and will house one large telescope and pedestals for six smaller ones. Unlike the old outdoor observatory, this one will feature a heated control room only 20 feet away, making it more conducive to student studies.

"The nice thing is the community outreach that the observatory provides," said Dr. David Buckley, chair of ESUís physics department. "We are planning on having a planetarium on the bottom floor of the Science and Technology Center. After planetarium shows people can come up and see the real thing in the observatory."

The new dome will also provide more research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. "It was too cold to do research in the winter at the old observatory, but now we'll have a heated control room 20 feet away," Buckley said. Astronomy labs will also be able to use the observatory.

"The new dome will provide 'edutainment' for both the public and the students. Iím hoping to get school groups to come in and use both the planetarium and the observatory. I want students to see the opportunities in science this university has to offer," Buckley said.

Meanwhile, the old dome has not outlived its usefulness. It's now at the Evergreen School in Cresco.

The 12 Ĺ-foot observatory traveled on May 28th to its new location, where it was donated to a charter school specializing in sciences.

"When I approached the principal and science director at the school, they were thrilled at the opportunity," Buckley said. "The school's niche as a charter school is science, and with the observatory more students will be attracted to their program."

Construction of the new Science and Technology Center began last fall. The $40 million center will be the first major academic building at ESU since 1979. The building will include research, classroom and faculty office space. It is scheduled to open in fall 2008.